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Professionals' Guild
The Guild of Professional Locksmiths and Trapfinders (more well-known as the Professionals' Guild) is one of Cartham's oldest guilds, and one of its most infamous. The Professionals have, in turns, been the scourge and pride of the city, first as respected trapfinders, then as deplored rogues scheming for control of the kingdom. Traditionally, the Professionals serve a similar role to a Thieves' Guild, attracting scores of pickpockets, trapfinders, vault-crackers and other experts of the nefarious arts. However, it does have several important differences from a traditional Thieves' Guild. First and foremost, the Professionals form a publicly-known guild that has nearly two hundred fifty members on its rosters, and holds a chair on Cartham City's Council of Guilds. While the primary activities of thieves and rogues have always been prohibited by law, they are also prohibited by the guild's charter. No one who belongs to the guild can engage in illegal activities. Those caught by the guild (rather than the Cartham City Guard) face dire consequences. Skeptics say this is all a show, and that criminal activity is allowed, but kept in sharp check by the leadership. It is further whispered that only the best thieves in the guild are allowed to engage in thievery in their cities, and that even then, there must be absolutely no trace left behind. This may be true, but it has never been proven conclusively. The guild makes a very good show of apprehending non-guild members who attempt to practice their skills, especially in Cartham City. Those so caught are either turned over to the Royal Guard, or taught a very public, humiliating lesson. In addition to its strange tradition of apprehending thieves, the Professionals are also remarkable for the way they make their fortunes: by hiring out members to travel with adventuring bands who need someone with their particular skills. These missions range from exploring lost ruins to acting as bodyguards for a noble or wealthy merchant. These activities have earned the guild considerable profits, but for various reasons, it never achieved the same sort of fame and respect as other guilds. That lack of respect had dire consequences, as disenchanted members of the guild decided to begin scheming secretly for the power they could not garner publicly. These plans may have had impact in certain invasions of Cartham City in particular, and as such they were formally disbanded by law at the end of Queen Ceiridwen's rule over the city. The guild was reformed by Fendrel Fischbach, who declared that the Professionals' skills were much needed in the city (and the kingdom as a whole), and that their disbanding, while justified, may have contributed to the success of Queen Ceiridwen's attacks. Some in the city questioned the King's decision, but since their reformation, the Professionals have stridently upheld the law and seem intent on rising to glory on ther own efforts. The guild today is a hodgepodge of experienced professionals–locksmiths, trapfinders, vault-makers, engineers– mixed with thieves, ruffians and common rogues. They are held in check by the will of two men, the charismatic guildmaster Jorin Lockhart and his soft-spoken assistant Jerome Montadour. Known Members * Jorin Lockhart, guildmaster * Jerome Montadour, assistant guildmaster * Walenty Manteran, a low-ranking member of the guild known for his horrible luck Category:Guilds